Window platform



Oct. 30, 1962 SIEBERT 3,061,040

WINDOW PLATFORM Filed May 11. 1960 I as II 37 l l INVENT OR.

HOWARD G. SIEBERT OJM ZM. "fi y 55W AT TORFEYS .istati s atent .Patented-OctBO, 1962 This invention relates, as indicated, to a window platform and more particularly to a portable, easily attachable platform to be placed on the exteriors of windows or the like to enable a person readily to clean, paint or repair the exterior of such window.

It is needless to say that it is an extremely dangerous job to climb onto the exterior of window sills or the like for the purpose of painting, cleaning or repairing the exteriors of windows, and elaborate safety belts and straps employing hooks must generally be employed.

Some attempts have been made to devise portable platforms which could be mounted on such window sills to enable a person to climb through the window to sit or stand on the out-side to clean or repair such window.

These platforms or the like have generally been much too cumbersome or immobile and accordingly could not readily be inserted and assembled and of course removed after being disassembled. Furthermore, the structural requirements to obtain the necessary rigidity to support the weight of a person with safety on the outside of a window has generally required so much in the way of safety latches or supports as to make the job of inserting such platform within the window frame much too complex and cumbersome.

It is accordingly the principal object of my invention to provide a window platform which will readily support a person on the exterior of a window which may be quickly and easily inserted and removed from such window frame.

It is a further principal object of my invention to provide a window platform of light weight construction providing the ample safety limits in supporting a person on the exterior of a window and yet being readily portable Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail a certain illustrative embodiment of the invention, this being indicative, however, of but one of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

Referring now to the annexed drawing, FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of my window platform inserted within a conventional window frame; and

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of my window platform taken substantially on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIG. 1, I have illustrated my window platform 10 positioned within a conventional window frame, such frame including an outside siding 11 with a conventional stud construction 12 and having an outwardly sloping sill 13 terminating inwardly in a horizontal sill 14 with a molding strip 15 being employed to cover the overhang of the interior horizontal sill member 14. The side or jamb 16 of the window frame includes the grooves 17 for the conventional double hung window. It will, of course, be understood that the window frame shown is for illustration purposes only and .of illustration and it will be understood that the platform will not extend as relatively far beyond the edge of the window as it appears in the drawing.

The peripheral channel edge framing member 21 provides a support for upstanding ears 22 and 23 at the external edges of the platform providing pivotal supports for U-shape railing member 24. Toggle levers 25 and 26 may be employed at each side of the platform to lock the railing member 24 in its upright position in their over-center position. If desired, chains 27 may be connected to each side of the railing member 24 and latched to the window frame, as shown at 28, such chain being .latched to the conventional hooks on such windows which are available to window washers to latch their safety straps and the like. It can readily be seen that with the railing 24 and the chains 27 at each side of the platform, a person standing on the exterior portion thereof will be completely enclosed by such railing and chains and cannot then inadvertently fall from the platform. Moreover, the chains 27 act as a safety device to preclude the platform from falling from the window frame, further enhancing the safety of such device. These chains are, however, not actually necessary since the interior or proximal end of my platform is firmly and rigidly supported on the interior of the window frame as I will now describe.

'At the back or proximal end of the platform 10 I provide a further reinforcing member 30 of the sectional configuration more clearly shown in FIG. 2. This member '30 has a top U-shape portion including a flange 31 overlying the top rear edge of the support member 20 and a wide central web or plate portion 32 extending forwardly and terminating in a downwardly extending flange 33. This flange overlies the front end of the horizontal sill member 14 properly to position the platform thereon. The web or plate 32 is provided with a central downwardly extending boss 34 which may also be supported on a downwardly extending flange 35, such boss 34 having a threaded aperture therein to accommodate screw 36. The end of the screw may be provided with an enlarged boss or knob 37 having a transverse opening therein to accommodate handle 38 such that the screw may be readily rotated, and the opposite end of the screw has an L- vshaped clamping member 39 mounted thereon adapted handle 38firmly to position the clamp 39 beneath the interior edge of the sill member 14 firmly to clamp the member 30 and thus the platform 10 to the sill member 14.

As a further safety feature I provide two transversely extending portions 40 and 41 on the plate 32 and mount thereon upstanding abutment projections 42 and 43, of the shape more clearly shown in FIG. 2, which bear against the inside faces of the vertical jamb members 16. With this construction the platform 10 is absolutely precluded from tilting forwardly should the sill member 14 become loosened or the clamps thereon otherwise fail.

In order to support the platform in a proper horizontal position since the slope of sill members, such as 13, may widely vary, I provide an inverted U-shape slide 45, the

' form in place.

legs of which terminate in two flanges 46 and 47 overlying the top edges of the edge framing member 21 and having mounted on the bottom thereof a wedge-shape supporting member 48 adapted adjustably to support the platform on the top of the sloping sill member 13.

The construction of my window platform may preferably employ extruded aluminum shapes with the upstanding abutting supports 42 and 43 being securely fastened or bolted to the plate 32 and the boss or nut 35 may be welded or forged to the plate portion of the member 30 to provide a completely rigid construction. It will, of course, be understood that the abutting supports 42 and 43 may be mounted on the plate 32 to be transversely adjustable to accommodate window frame jambs of different width. The wedge-shape support 48 may be of wood or other suitable light weight material and may be secured directly to the sliding member 45.

In operation, when it is desired to place such platform in the window frame to be able to obtain access to the exterior thereof, the railing'24 will be collapsed to lie parallel to the platform and as such the platform may readily be extended through the open window and the slide 45 adjusted to the proper position. With the flange 33 overlying the front edge of the sill member 15, the screw 36 may then be rotated firmly to position the clamp 39 against the sill member 14 thereby to lock the plat- In this position the abutments 42 will abut against the interior face of the jambs. Thus the spacing of the flange '33 in the front face of the abutments 42 may be preselected or such abutments may be hingedly secured to the extensions 40 and 41 to be brought by spring pressure into abutting engagement with the jamb face. Once the platform is secured, the slide 45 may be adjusted to position the platform in its proper horizontal position. The railing 24 is then raised and locked in position by the toggle links 25 and 26 and the safety chains 27 may then be attached to the hooks 28 to provide the enclosed safety platform cantilevered through the open window. a a

It can now be seen that I have provided a safety platform which is readily portable and which may easily be extended through and locked on a window frame to provide a firm support for a person sitting or standing on the exterior of the window and enabling such person to have complete access thereto.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of such be employed.

I, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A portable window platform for window frames of the type having a horizontal inner sill member and an outwardly sloping outer sill member between spaced jamb members, said portable window platform comprising a rectangular lightweight supporting member having a chan- .nel-shape peripheral metallic edging, clamp means at one end of said supporting member adapted rigidly to clamp said platform to. such horizontal inner sill member, collapsible railing means at the other end of said support member, a wedge-shape support slidably adjustably mounted on said edging and transversely underlying said support member intermediate said ends adapted intermediately to support said platform on such outwardly sloping outer sill member thereby to ensure a proper horizontal position for said platform, said clamp means including a plat rigidly secured beneath the inner end of said support member having a threaded boss underlying the same, and screw means threaded in said boss and having an L-shape clamp member thereon adapted to underlie the inner edge of such horizontal sill member thereby firmly to clamp said platform thereto.

2. The portable window platform of claim 1 wherein said plate has oppositely transversely extending portions, and upstanding abutments firmly secured thereto adapted to contact the inner faces of such spaced jamb members thereby to preclude said platform from tilting outwardly through such window frame.

3. The portable window platform of claim 2 wherein said plate includes a channel-shape portion having a flange overlying the inner edge of said support member.

4. The portable window platform of claim 3 including safety chains attached to said railing means and adapted to be connected to the exterior of each of such spaced jamb members.

5. The portable window platform of claim 3 wherein said support member is made of plywood.

6. In combination a window frame having a horizontal inner sill member and an outwardly sloping outer sill member between spaced jamb members; a portable window platform comprising a rectangular lightweight supporting member having a channel-shape peripheral metallic edging, clamp means at one end of said supporting member adapted rigidly to clamp said platform to said horizontal inner sill member, collapsible railing means at the other end of said support member, a wedge-shape support slidably adjustably mounted on said edging and transversely underlying said support member intermediate said ends adapted intermediately to support said platform on said outwardly sloping outer sill member thereby to ensure a proper horizontal position for said platform, said clamp means including a plate rigidly secured heneath the inner end of said support member having a threaded boss underlying the same, and screw means threaded in said boss and having an L-shape clamp member thereon adapted to underlie the inner edge of said horizontal sill member thereby firmly to clamp said platform thereto.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said plate has oppositely transversely extending portions, and upstanding abutments firmly secured thereto adapted to contact the inner faces of said spaced jamb members thereby to preclude said platform from tilting outwardly through said window frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 690,579 Howard Jan. 7, 1902 951,642 Hinman Mar. 8, 1910 1,347,016 Crowe July 20, 1920 1,646,509 Wais Got. 25, 1927 2,583,838 Hart Jan. 29, 1952 2,674,430 Galazzi Apr. 6, 1954 

